System of electric metering.



v E. HE|LBORN.-

SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC METERING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25,1912.

1,142,425. PatentedJune 8,1915.

Fig.2.

20 @M /a /6 2" I Witnesses: v I Inventor: I Ernst, HeilbnTn 231 9? /M aHisQfittornem ERNST HEILIBORN, E GH ARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY, ASQSIGNOR T0GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.' I

SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC METERING. I

subject of the King of Prussia, residing at Charlottenburg, Germany,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of ElectricMetering, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to systems of metering electrical energy, andparticularly to multiple rate systems in which the charge for energyconsumed depends upon the quantity used and also upon the time of dayduring which the consumption takes place.

The load curve of the ordinary central generating station shows amaximum demand for energy during the evening hours when a large amountof electricity is used for lighting purposes. During the other hours ofthe day the demand on the central station is relatively very light.Obviously,

it is most desirable that the load curve of the station be as uniform aspossible. result can be approached if consumers would use more energyduring the period of v period of light load.

I propose to accomplish the object of my invention by providing a doubletariff rate,

l2]. low rate and a high rate. During the period of peak load on thestation, the consumer will be charged for the energy which he uses atthe low rate as longas his demand on the station does not exceed apredetermined amount. When the rate of consumption of energy rises abovethis predetermined amount, the consumer will be charged the higher ratefor the total. energy consumed during the time his demand exceeds thefixed amount. During the period of light load the reverse method ofcharging Specification of Letters Batent.

Application filed July 25, 1912. Serial No. 711,410.

Such a Patented June 8, 1915..

will be employed, and the consumer will pay the high rate as long as hisdemand is below a predetermined quantity. When, however, the demand isabove this quantity the consumer will obtain his energy at the low rate.In this manner consumers are encouraged to use large quantities ofenergy during the'light load periods, and induced not to use largeamounts during theperiods of peak load.

In carrying out my invention, I provide an electric meter having atleast two registers. energy consumed for which the low rate is to becharged, and another indicates the energy for which the high rate is tobe charged. The change in registration from one register to the other isaccomplished automatically by a relay responsive to a predeterminedchange in the amount of energy being consumed or the consumers demand. Atime controlled device operates at predetermined periods to reverse theeffect of this One of these registers indicates the relay upon thechanging mechanism for the registers. By this apparatus the total energyconsumed during the period of light load when the demand is above apredetermined quantityis registered on the low rate register as is alsothe total energy consumed during the period of peak load, when thedemand is below a predetermined amount. On

7 the high rate register is registered the total consumption of energyduring the light load period, when the demand is below the predeterminedamount, and also the total consumption during the peak load period whenthe demand exceeds the predetermined quantity. The registers may havethe same rate of registration in which case the rate charged for theenergy registered on one register will be higher than the .rate chargedfor the energy registered on the other regis ter. Or the registers mayhave difierent rates of registration so that one will register a largerconsumption than the other .for the same actualamount of energyconsumed, in which case the rate charged will be the same for the energyregistered on both registers.

The novel features which I believe to be embodiment of the novelfeatures of my new system of metering, and Fig. 2 is a modificationthereof.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings there is shown an electric meter 5having the usual rotatable shaft and driving worm 6. The meter is placedin an electric supply circuit to measure the energy supplied by a sourceof electricity 7 to electric translating devices 8. Included in thiscircuit is a relay9 which operates as a demand actuator. An armature 10isin operative relation with the relay and when the current coil of thelatter is energized the armature is attracted and operates to close thecontacts 11. spring 12 normally holds the armature 10 so that contacts11 are open and also provides a force to be overcome by therelay beforecontacts 11 can be closed. The

amount of this opposing force of the spring.

, can be adjusted by the set screw 13. A

scale 14 and coiiperating pointer 15 may also be provided so as toreadily and accurately make this adjustment in known units. By thisarrangement the contacts 11 will be automatically closed when apredetermined current flows in the coil of the relay. An electromagnet16 .is provided with two sets of windings 17 and 18. The circuit of thewindings 17 is controlled by the contacts 11. The circuit of the winding18 is controlled by the time switch 19. The time switch 19 may be or anydesired construction. T have merely represented this switch in adiagrammatic manner in the accompanying drawings and have shown movablecontact 2% mounted on the hour hand of a clock arranged to cotiperatewith a sector shaped fixed contact 3d to close the circuit of thewinding 18 for a predetermined interval of time The wind ings 1? and 18are so arranged that their magnetic eil'ects are opposite. Thus when.the circuit of either winding is closed the magnet 16 is ener ized, butwhen the cir cuits of both windings are closed the magnet is deenergizedsince one winding neutralizes the other. The electromagnet ld has acoiiperating armature 20. A spring 21 normally holds the armature in theposition shown in 1 1i @peratively connected to the armature is a linkmechanism 22 pivoted at 23 which controls the movemerit of a movablegear member 21-. This gear member is adapted to mesh with the Worm 6 atall times, and also according to its position, with either the drivinggear 25 of register 26, or driving gear 2'? of register 28.

The operation of my novel system of metering, as just described, is asfollows: The set screw 13 is adjust-ed by aid of the calibrated scale 14and pointer 15 so that the contacts 11 will be closed when a certainpredetermined current flows in the circuit of relay 9. Normally thespring 21 holds the armature 20 in the position shown in Fig. 1, and themovable gear member 2-l is operatively connected to the high rateregister 26. W hen the energy being consumed in the translating devices8 reaches a predetermined quantity the relay 9' automatically operatesto close the contacts 11, and thus the circuit of the winding 17 iscompleted and electromagnet 16 is energized. Armature :20 is thenattracted by the poles of the electromagnet and operates to move gearmember 2 1 from engagement with driving gear '25 into engagement withdriving gear 27. The total energy consumed in the translating devices isnow registered on the low rate register 28.

The foregoing description of the operation of my system of metering iscorrect only when no current is flowing in the winding 18. The circuitof this winding is closed by a time switch during the period of peakload on the central station. When the circuit of winding 18 is thusclosed its effect will be to neutralize the effect of wind ing 17 Inthis way when the demand is below a predetermined quantity the contacts11 will be open and the electromagnet 16 will be energized by winding18. Movable gear 2% will thus be in operative relation with the low rateregister 28. lit the demand during this peak load period rises above thepredetermined quantity the circuit of winding 17 will be closed andsince the effect of one winding is to neutralize the efi'ect of theother, the electromagnet 16 will be deenergized, and the energy consumedin the devices 8 will be registered on the high rate register 26. Ttwill thus be seen that the edect of the time switch 19 and winding 18 isto-reverse the normal efi'ect of the winding 1? upon the registerchanging mechanism.

in Fig. 1, l have shown the demand actuator provided with two windings.011s winding is included in series relation wi h the circuit 01 thetranslating device 8, as heretbfore described, and the other winding 18is in series with the winding 18 of electromagnet 16. The circuit ofwinding 18' is, therefore, completed by the time switch 19 during theperiod of peak load. Tn this manner the winding 18 will operate duringarmature 10' will be attracted and the contacts 11 closed.

In case it is not'desired to have adifl'erent predetermined demandduring the periodofpeak loads the winding 18, shown in Fig. 1, may beomitted. This modification of my invention I have illustrated in 2 ofthe drawings. In this figure the relay or demand actuator 9 has only onewinding which is the same as the series winding described in connectionwith relay 9. The winding 18 of the electromagnet 16 is, accordingly,arranged to be connected directl across the line by means of the timeswitc 19. The other features of construction of the modificationillustrated in Fig. 2 are the same as heretofore described in connectionwith Fig. 1.

From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that duringthe period of light load on the central station the circuit of winding18 is open and the total energy consumed when the demand exceeds apredetermined amount is registered on the low rate register. When thedemand is below this amount the consumption is registered on the highrate register, During the period of peak load just the reverse takesplace. The circuit ofwinding 18.is now closed and the total energyconsumed when the demand is below a predetermined uantity isregistered'on the low rate register, while that consumed when the demandis in excess of this quantity is registered on the high rate register.

I desire it to be understood that my invention is not limited to theparticular construction or arrangement of apparatus here shown, sincemany changes which do not depart from the spirit of my' invention, willbe obvious to those skilled in the art, and

which changes are within the scope of the present claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

'1. The method of metering electrical energy which consists inregistering upon one register during certain periods of time only thetotal consumption of energy when the demand is less than a predeterminedquantity and during other periods of time only the consumption of energywhen the demand is in excess of a predetermined quantity, and efi'ectingsuch registration of energyby the magnitude of the demand.

2. The method of metering electrical energy which consists inregistering upon one register during certain periods of time only thetotal energy consumed when the demand is in excess of a predeterminedquantity and during other periods of time only the total energy consumedwhen the demand is less than a second predetermined quantity,registering upon a second register the remaining energy consumed, duringany period of time, and effecting such registration of energy upon theappropriate register by the magnitude of the demand, 7

3. The method of metering electrical en ergy supplied by a centralgenera-ting station to electric translating devices which consists inregistering upon one register during the period of peak load on thestation only the total energy supplied when th demand is less than apredetermined quan-' tity and upon a second register only the totalenergy supplied when. the demand is in excess of said predeterminedquantity,

registering at other periods of time upon the first mentioned registeronly the total energy supplied when the demand is in excess of a secondpredetermined quantity and upon said second register only the totalenergy supplied when the demand is less.

than said second predetermined quantity, and effecting such registrationof energy upon the appropriate register by the magnitude of the demand;

4. A system of metering electrical energy comprising a meter, aplurality of registers for registering the energy metered, an electricsupply circuit, means responsive to the electrical condition ofsaidcircuit for determining the register upon which the en-. ergymetered is registered, and means for reversing the effect of said meansat predetermined times.

- '5. A system of metering electrical energy comprising a meter, aplurality of registers for registering the energy metered, an electricsuppl circuit, means responsive to a predetermlned change in theelectrical condition of said circuit for determining the register uponwhich the energy metered is registered, and means for varying atpredetermined times the predetermined change to which said means isresponsive.

6. A system of metering electrical energy comprising ameter, a pluralityof, registersfor registering the energy metered, an electric supplyclrcuit, means responsive to a predetermined change in the electricalcondition of said circuit for determining the register upon whichtheenergy metered is registered, means for reversing the eiiect of saidmeans at predetermined times, and means for varying at predeterminedtimes the predetermined change to which said first mentioned means isresponsive.

7 A system of metering electrical energy comprising a meter having aregister, electric translating devices, means for registering on saidregister during predetermined times only the total energy consumed in(ill al u

said translating devices when the demand is in excess of a predeterminedamount, and. means for registering on said register during other timesonly the total energy consumed in said translating devices when thedemand is less than a predetermined amount.

8. A system of metering electrical energy comprising a meter having tworegisters, electric translating devices, means for registering on one ofsaid registers during cer tain periods of time only the total energyconsumed in said translating devices when the demand is in excess of apredetermined quantity, means for registering on the second registerduring said same periods of time only the total energy consumed in saidtranslating devices when the demand is less than thepredeterminedquantity, means for registering on said first register during all otherperiods of time only the total energy consumed in said translatingdevices when the demand is less than a predetermined quantity, and meansfor registering onthe second register during the last mentioned periodsof time only the total energy consumed in said translating devices whenthe demand is in excess of the last mentioned predetermined quantity.

9, A system of metering-electrical energy comprising a meter having arotatable shaft and two registers, electric translating de vices, amovable member for operatively connecting said shaft to either of saidregisters, means responsive to the quantity of energy being consumed bysaid translating de vices for operating said movable member, and timecontrolled means for reversing the effect of said last mentioned meansupon said movable member.

10. A system of metering electrical energy comprising a supply circuitfor electric translating devices, a meter having a rotatable shaft andtwo registers, a gear train for each of said registers, a movable memherfor connecting either of said gear trains to the meter shaft, anelectromagnet, an armature coiiperating with said electromagnet andoperatively connected to said movable member, a time controlled windingfor said electromagnet, a second winding for said electromagnet, andmeans responsive to a predetermined change in the electrical conditionof said supply circuit for controlling the circuit of said. secondwinding.

11. A system of metering electrical comprising a meter having arotatable shaft and two registers, an electric supply circuit, a movablemember for placing said shaft in operative relation with either of saidregisters,'an electromagnet, an armature coiiper ating with saidelectromagnet and opera tively connected to said movable member, windingfor said electroinaenet, a time trolled switch foihsaid winding, asecond winding for said electromagnet, a relay forcontrolling thecircuit of said winding and having a current coil included in saidsupply circuit, a second winding for said electromagnet, a secondwinding for said relay, and a time switch for controlling the circuitsof said second windings,

13 A system of metering electrical energy comprising in combination anelectrical installation, means for metering the electric energy suppliedto said installation, a register and meansfor registering on saidregister during certain periods of time the energy supplied to saidinstallation only when the demand of the installation is less than apredetermined quantity and during other periods of time the energysupplied to said installation only when the demand of the installationis in excess of a predetermined quantity,

it. A system of metering electrical energy comprising in combination, anelectrical installation, means for metering the electric energy suppliedto said installation, a register, means for registering on said registerduring certain periods of time the energy supplied to said installationonly when the demand of the installation is less than a predeterminedquantity and during other periods of time the energy supplied to said installation only when the demand of the installation is in excess of apredetermined quantity, a second register and means where by theremaining energy supplied to said installation is registered upon saidsecond register.

15. A system of metering electrical energy comprising in combination anelectrical installation, a source of electric energy supply for meteringthe electric energy supplied said installation, two registers, meansregistering upon one register during period of pealr load on said sourcethe total energy supplied to said installation only when the demand ofthe installation is less than a predetermined quantity and forregistering upon second register thetotal energy supplied to saidinstallation only When the demand of the installation is in tal energysupplied to said installation only 10 excess of said predeterminedquantityya'ndp when the demand is less than said second meanscooperating with said last'mentioned predetermined'quantity.

means for registering upon the first register In Witness whereof, I havehereunto set duringother periods of time the total enmy hand this 9thday of Julv, 1912..

ergy supplied to said installation only when DR. ERNST HEILBORN. thedemand of the installation is in excess Witnesses: of a secondpredetermined quantity and for KARL MORKAN,

registering upon the second register the to- I FRITZ WALLMfiLIER.

